Ambassador of Germany in Ukraine, Ernst Reichel detailed the proposal of his Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier for the elections in certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (ORDLO).
At a press conference in Kharkiv on Wednesday, Reichel said that the so-called "Steinmeier formula" provides that the parliament passes a law on elections in the territory ORDLO, then elections are held in that territory, after which the OSCE issues a conclusion whether the elections were consistent with the European standards.
"If the elections did not meet [the standards], the laws (on the special status of ORDLO) do not come into force," the ambassador said.
Reichel did not rule out that elections in ORDLO may be held before Ukraine regains control over its borders.
"It may be, if there are conditions for the free expression of the will of people in Donbass," the diplomat said.
Ukraine has adopted in 2014 a law on the special order of the local government in ORDLO autumn, but amended it in the spring of 2015. The law provides that the provisions about the special status will come into force after the democratic elections in ORDLO.